Miscanthus grass is a nice looking ornamental grass, grows 6 to 8 feet tall, provides movement in the garden, great planted as a specimen, or in small groups, sends up feathery plumes in the fall, and is great for winter interest, BUT is hard to divide! Dig up the entire root ball of the plant with a shovel or pitchfork. Dividing and Transplanting Ornamental Grasses. There are many forms of Japanese Maiden Grass, all of which are members of the genus Miscanthus. These individual shoots can then be transplanted directly into new spots in your garden, Others should only be divided in the spring or in the fall. Common Name: Zebra grass Genus: Miscanthus ... Time to divide plants: ... Miscanthus is a deciduous, clump-forming, perennial grass. ‘Zebrinus’, known as zebra grass, is a clump-forming grass noted for its horizontally banded foliage. Water the divisions thoroughly, until water comes out the drainage hole for container plants, and keep new divisions well watered for a few weeks until their roots have established themselves. Splitting apart large grass clumps takes a bit more effort than with smaller clumps: Use rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes to clean and steralize your pruning and division tools after each use to minimize the chances of spreading pests and diseases from one plant to another. Alternatively, cut the clump through the middle with a spade. Push the spades together with your hands to divide the grass into two clumps. Spray the root ball with your hose to remove excess soil and reveal the plant's roots. But it is possible to divide the grasses in early spring as well in areas with mild winters. You can use a spade, knife or narrow trowel for this. Lundman belongs to numerous gardening groups, tends her home garden on 2/3 acre and volunteers with professional horticulturists at a 180 acre public garden where she lives on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. These varieties typically begin a dormant phase in the fall, turning brown after the soil temperatures drop to about 55 degrees. but I don't know how big the divisions need to be to survive? I separate my Zebra grass mid summer when its in full growth. Repeat this to divide the two clumps in half. Examples of warm-season grasses include switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, and fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum), which grows in USDA zones 9 to 10. Divide congested clumps in spring. These large divisions, often six or more inches in diameter, will quickly grow into large plants. Some ornamentals have sharp edges, so make sure you wear gloves to prevent getting nicked. I know they can be divided, Zebra Grass is also known as Maiden Grass, Japanese Silver Grass, or Eulalia, ... in colder climates, dividing in spring is appropriate. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Water the plants thoroughly to allow them to come up with easily. 0 0. Most perennials can be divided in the spring or fall. With a spade, loosen and push the soil around the grass. Try using a pair of heavy scissors on smaller grasses, or a serrated knife it the scissors won't cut it. Split the clump of grass into pieces using a sharp spade or knife. Old clumps of Zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) can have very dense root systems and may require a great deal of “elbow grease” to lift and divide. Most grasses benefit from divisions done every three to four years to keep them vigorous and to avoid die-backs in the center of the clumps. The most common method of dividing ornamental grasses is to use a very sharp spade to split off large chunks from the edges While warm-season grasses typically die back in winter temps, cool-season grasses are often evergreen. Without digging and division, they will quickly perish. Dividing grasses using a reciprocating saw (equipped with a large toothed pruning blade) is an easy way to make clean cuts and maximize divisions with a minimum of damage to the root system. How to Divide Zebra Grass. Pruning them in winter however is a great way to be prepared for when the soil warms enough for dividing. Warm-season and cool-season grasses have different growth schedules, so it's important to distinguish between the two. You can divide them in winter or early spring before growth begins. If the spread is particularly large, use a sharp shovel to divide the grass into several sections. Then discard the dead center and divide the remainder into sizeable chunks. Most grasses do best in sun but some will tolerate shade. Q. Zebra grass. These large divisions, often six or more inches in diameter, will quickly grow into large plants. They begin new growth in fall or winter and flower in the spring and summer, sometimes going dormant or slowing growth when temperatures rise above 75 degrees. Be ready to escalate to a hedge trimmer on bigger, tougher species. If not, divide it in half while it's in the ground by inserting two pitchforks or shovels back to back and prying the root ball apart before lifitng it. Water the plant well, ensuring that the water reaches down into the root ball. Transplant the divisions in the same way you would smaller grasses, by spreading roots out, patting the soil gently around the crown of the plant and watering thoroughly. Divide these grasses when they begin to grow vigorously in your area. Divide the clump into two or more pieces by using the spade, a sharp garden knife or a small axe to separate roots. invaders to new locations in the soil taken with the divisions. Dividing is pretty simple by lifting the whole clump and then taking out big hunks each of which can then be planted in a new place. Use a garden spade to dig up the clump. Use a sharp knife or pruners to separate the rhizomes into new clumps. They're among the largest ornamental grasses in Central New York landscapes and all can be divided throughout the growing season. It reduces the work by at least 50%. Spread the roots of the plant out as much as you can when placing the grass in its new hole or container, and press down gently on the soil to hold the plant in place. However, the number of divisions you can make are limited. You may want to divide your zebra grass every 3 or 4 years to keep it from taking over your garden. For dividing, dig up the entire plant and cut it into sections with a sharp knife with roots and foliage included in each. Split them using two forks inserted back to back in the centre of the clump, and then prize them apart. It stands tall (with an arching form) as a green sentinel in your landscape all summer, then it puts out tiny white blooms, followed by a seed head plumes that offers late-season visual interest. Cut back deciduous grasses in spring and ‘comb out’ dead leaves of evergreen types. Help renew pampas grass by dividing it in the spring before the growing season begins. of well-established plants, at left. You should divide these warm-season grasses in spring when they break dormancy and begin their growing season. Make each chunk … Once you have chosen the grass you wish to transplant, chop off its stem and leaves, so only one-third of the original length remains. Remove loose soil from around the root ball by shaking the plant or hosing it off. 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